The Wrong Blonde
by Namjr
Summary: Prequel to Complicated, The Maixe Jones and Sly Eckert Story.
1. Wrong Place, wrong time

~The Wrong Blonde ~ 

Wrong Place, Wrong Time (1/5)

I disclaim

~~~

May 18, 2003

Maxie looked through the window of Kelly's and almost squealed with delight. He was sitting at the counter, talking to AJ. Quartermaines wife. Even from the back he looked like a god, the strong shoulders, the way he hair curled at the nape of his neck, and just thinking his tight butt brought gave hot flashes. She caught her reflection in the window, and began fixing her hair.   

Today was the day, she had finally managed to ditch her father and she was going to make Lucky Spencer finally notice her. In all honesty she didn't know how he hadn't noticed her yet, she had been pretty prominent fixture in town since her mother and Mac's wedding. Sure getting drunk and making out in public with some guy, whom she still couldn't really remember, wasn't really how she wanted the man of her dreams to notice but she was surely running out of patience. 

She opened the door, and walked in, looking around for her competition, the last thing she wanted was to see Elizabeth Webber. Happy that twit wasn't around, she strutted over to him, and leaned into his ear. " Hey Spencer." 

Sly's eye shot open as the smell of jasmine filled his senses, the feminine purr made his heart flutter. Regrettably she called him Spencer, which meant that she thought he was Lucky. " Actually it's Eckert." He turned and meets the woman's eyes, and blinked. 'Damn he cousin, had great taste.' 

Tall and blonde, with a body that should be illegal, and ruby red lips, that made him thinks of ripe cherries. " Hi I'm Sly Eckert Lucky's cousin." 

" I know who you are, we used to play together." Except that the Sly Eckert she used to play didn't have mesmerizing green eyes. " It's me, little Maxie Jones." 

Sly blinked again, Maxie Jones was a little kid, and this was definitely a woman." Wow, Maxie, you've grown." 

" Yeah, well ten years will do that to you." She looked around the diner scanning faces, wherever Lucky's cousin was, Lucky was sure to be close by.

" Lucky's not here." Maxie eyes show sadness, and a little bit of anger."  He had t go out of town, unexpectedly." 

" Oh, and what are you doing here, last I heard you in some boarding school in Utah." 'Obviously lifting weights if your shoulders are anything to go by.' 

" I was, but now I'm on break from Stanford." He motioned for the stool beside him. " Please sit, I haven't seen you in ages, how are things?" 

Maxie took the seat, and searched his eyes, lately people all over town had been asking her that question, and usually they only wanted an inside scoop on the dysfunction of her family, but Sly seemed sincere, and more importantly willing to listen.  " You mean you haven't heard?"

" Heard what?" 

" Heard that my Johnny come lately father, showed up to stop my Mom and Stepfather's wedding." " He wants to get to know us." " What a joke." She turned away from his piercing eyes, and began twirling a string of hair around her finger. " Like he really cares." 

" You don't think he cares?" 

" What has he done to contradict that belief, besides fathering me, then returning years later to knock up my mom again, but never actually staying long enough to see a birthday." Maxie felt the tears, build up in her eyes, and tried to quickly dashed them away." I gotta go." 

Sly saw her turn away, and already prepared for her to run, quickly thrown down some money, and headed out after her. " MAXIE." 

He caught up to her on the docks, and grabbed her shoulder stopping her from running further. " Stop." 

" I don't want to talk." She shook him, off, and stared out at the water. 

" Yes, you do or when I asked how you are, you would have said fine." Sly followed her down the dock, and looked at her." You want to talk, because you're angry, and you should be he hasn't there when you needed him, and it's obvious that his appearance has caused you distress." 

" What are you a shrink?" 

" Actually not yet, but two more years and yeah, I am." " But don't think of me as a shrink or almost shrink, think of me as a guy that lived just like you lived." " My father was rarely around, and when he was it didn't matter because I was sure, he was just there killing time til something more entertaining came around." " But then he died, and I just keep thinking, why didn't I trust it, why didn't I trust him." " The truth of the matter is that you have every right to be angry, but you can't let the anger control your life." He titled her face toward him, and let out a breath when he saw a small smile.

Maxie felt her breath catch, as she meets his eyes. She couldn't remember the last time someone had comforted, and actually felt better. Everything about he seemed comforting, from his shy smile, to his green eyes that spoke of concern. " Thanks." She her a distant rumble, and looked up just in time to see the sky open up. " Oh great." 

" Come on." Sly took her hand, and started leading her away from the dock, and back toward Kelley's." We can dry off in extra room at Kelley's and talk." 

" What makes you think I want to talk more?" She asked, as he led back toward the diner, not even trying to stop him.

" I just do." Sly hesitated, outside the front door, he didn't want people to see him, and Maxie headed toward the rooms upstairs they'd get the wrong idea, and he didn't want anyone thinking badly of her. " Come this way." He turned around and headed toward the back door, leading her up the back stairs to the first door they came to." Here we go." 

" Come into my web, said the spider to the fly." Maxie muttered as she walked into the room, and looked around disdainfully, he had definitely made himself at home, he clothes were thrown across the room, an empty pizza box was sitting on the only chair in the room." Let the maid go did, we?" 

" Sorry, Lucky and I got together to reminisce, it was pretty cool." He brushed past her, and began picking up his clothes only to throw them in the open suitcase discarded on the floor. " Might as well pack, now for the flight tomorrow." 

" You know I always thought shrinks were neat people, but you proved me wrong." She picked up the pizza box, and dropped it on the floor before taking the seat. " Now where we, doctor?" 

" Funny." He sat down on the bed, and gave her a questioning glance." You need a towel or something. " 

" No, I'm trying to figure out, why I'm here."

" Maxie, there's nothing wrong with wanting to talk." 

She rolled her eyes; he was starting to sound like Dr. Collins, and there was no one the planet that she dislikes more then him, with his understanding nod, and thoughtful stare." I'm not here to talk." She jumped from the seat, and moved to look out the window. She wasn't here to talk, she didn't need to, she had her emotional outburst and she was done, so why did he keep harping on it." Maybe I'm here to seduce you." 

Sly gave humorless laugh, and stood moving behind her." Maxie, please…"

" No, I'm serious." She turned and looked at him, his hair was wet, from the rain, and slicked back making him looking a little dangerous. Maxie took a step closer, and laid her hand on his chest. " Why can't I have come up here to seduce you, Sly?"   

Suddenly the room felt smaller then before, Sly stepped back, and looked around for some kind of help. He wasn't a virgin, but he wasn't used to women coming onto to him, even thought he knew that she was only doing this to distract him it was still unnerving. He tried to remember what he learned in Intro to Counseling, and had a sudden picture of his Professor, telling him to challenge the patient." Okay then, seduce me." She didn't even flinch; she just stepped forward and leaned up to kiss him. 

Once she was in her arms, he forgot completely about what he was doing. She was warm, soft, inviting, and it seemed that she had truly come up to seduce him, and he was dammed if it wasn't working. He groaned when, she pulled back." What…" He words were cut off; when she pushed him back on the bed following him so that she lands on top of him claiming his lips once more.

~~~

Several Hours later

Maxie watched Sly sleeping peacefully, and closed her eyes, fighting back the tears She done it again, she gotten worked up about her father, and acted out, except this time she had taken a nice guy down with her. She moved from the bed cautiously, trying not to wake him, as she hurried around the room, grabbing her clothes. She threw them on, and stopped by the door to watch him. Sly was a good person; he was gorgeous, sweet, and nice. The kind of guy a girl would call a prince; she could easily fall for him if only she wasn't already in love with his cousin, if only he wasn't the wrong blonde .


	2. What's wrong with me?

~The Wrong Blonde ~ 

What's wrong with me? (2/5)

I disclaim

** I was checking Soap Opera Central, to bone up on my Jones/Scorpio info, and I found out that Mac adopted Maxie and Georgie, but for the purposes of story he didn't. 

~~~

July 9, 2003

" Hello." 

" Am I a good lover?" 

Emily's eye shot open at the question, and she looked over at the clock it was only 5:00 am, which meant it could only be one person on the phone. " Sly, it's too early for your low self-esteem jag." 

" Just answer the question?"

" You're insane, I can't believe you're about to be come a trained psychologist, you're so screwed up, its like you like you're a Quartermaine." 

" Could you just tell me if I was a good lover." 

" Fine, Sly you're good lover, excellent, phenomenal, sometimes I still dream about you, your finely sculpted chest, the way the sun makes your hair look like spun gold, the…" 

" Ok shut up, first you where helpful, now you're being a brat, and I'm remember why I dumped you." 

" Huh, please." " It was a mutual break-up, but let's not forget how you begged me to come back to you for months after ward." 

" Are you high?" 

" Are you stupid?"

Sly rolled his eyes, only Emily could make him feel better, after the everything that happened with Maxie, he needed his friend. " I miss you." 

" I know, I miss you too, but only a couple of hours away, and I'm always here for you, just like you're here for me." " So what little tramp has you questioning your sexual prowess?" " Do I need to head out to Cali to kick some butt or what?" 

" A couple of months ago, I met this girl, and…"

" And you when all Dr. Eckert on her, bandaging her wounded ego, and slaving all her wounds." 

" I'm not going to confide in you if you're just going to jump to the wrong conclusions." 

" Oh, so you just had a one night stand, and what she didn't scram you name loud enough so you're checking past consumers?" " Or did you meet the girl, counsel the girl, then sleep with the girl." 

" I hate you."

" No you don't, you love me, you just hate that I know you so well, so then what happened?"

" Then I woke up and she was gone." 

" Ahh… so have you seen her again?" 

" No, so can you enlighten me to what happened?" 

" Sly you know what happened, scarred and confuse found comfort, woke up scarred and even more confused." 

" So… give her space?"

" No, you give her space, and she'll bolt, you get to close, she'll bolt."

" So…what are you telling me?"

" Just let her know that you're there for her."

' That's it." 

" You know, I don't have to give you advice on your love life at five in the morning, forget that you don't ask how I am, or if I was with someone one, god forbid inquire into my life, just as long as you get what you need." 

" OKAY." " How are you Emily?" 

" I'm, fine thanks for asking." 

" New guy in your life?" 

" No, I hate men." 

" Which means you've heard from one of the men in your family and are punishing everyone else for it." " Want to talk about it?" 

"Nah, I vented to a punching bag all yesterday, I'm good." " Sly remember you are a great guy, you're tall, blonde and gorgeous, rich, intelligent, and once again an excellent lover." " If this girl doesn't work out you still have me, remember 2007 we tie the knot." 

" Thanks Em, I call you soon." 

" Take care Sly." 

Sly hung up, the phone, and smiled. Sometimes it paid to have girl for a best friend. He brought up the Port Charles Yellow Pages search screen on his laptop, and entered the name Maxie Jones.

~~~

Plus Sign

Two Lines

Blue Line 

Three tests, and the all said the same thing, that she was pregnant. She dropped the box, and followed it to the floor. 

" I'm pregnant." Her parents were going to kill her, and if they ever found Sly…" Oh God Sly." She was pregnant with Sly Eckert's child. She knew that without a doubt, after their night together, she had locked herself away in the apartment, avoiding everyone, even Lucky. " Oh God Lucky." 

Pregnant by his cousin, was sure to be a turn off. 

**BBBBRING  BBBBRING  BBBBRING**

" Georgie get the phone." 

BBBBRING  BBBBRING  BBBBRING 

Maxie stood, and ripped open the door." The Phone is ringing." Looking out into the quiet and clean living room, she remembered why her sister wasn't answering the phone; Georgie went to the library to study, which was why she did the test today. " Damn." Taking a final look at the discarded test, she ran toward the phone. " Hello." 

" May I speak to Maxie?" 

" This is she." 

" Hi, it's Sly." 

Her hand tensed around the receiver, and a sweat broke out on her forehead.' Oh god he knows.' " Sly?" 

" Yeah, look I ah…okay here's the thing." " I asked a friend what should I do, I mean you're obviously not comfortable with what happen, and I understand, not that I didn't enjoy what happened, I mean I did enjoy it, but not the sex...Dammit I don't mean I didn't enjoy the sex, because wow, I mean…." 

" SLY."  His nervous chatter calmed her nerves, and she relaxed." Breath, and try again." 

" Sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous." " Look, maybe you regret what happened, but I don't because I enjoyed talking to you, and I wish you felt okay with it too, and I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you if you just want to talk, and I know that sounds like a line, but it's true." 

" Sly…"

" No, for right now, why don't you just take down my number, and if you want to talk or get tighter, or whatever." " Do you have a pen?" 

Grabbing the Bic nearby, she picked up the discarded receipt form her drug store visit, and wrote down the number he gave." Got it." 

" Great." "Maxie I'm serious if you need anything please call me, if we're nothing else I hope we can be friends." 

The long pause on the other end, had her tensing again, and she felt the guilt already forming as her conscience screamed to her. 'Come on Maxie, just say it.' 'Sly, I'm pregnant.' Another stronger voice however told her to shut up. " Alright Sly, but right now I gotta go." 

" Okay bye, but take okay?" 

" Yeah." Maxie replaced the receiver and stared at the phone, she felt some pangs of guilt at having not told Sly, but right now she had more important things on her my." Like what do I do now?" 


	3. It’s just something you know

~The Wrong Blonde ~ 

It's just something you know. (3/5)

I disclaim

~~~

November 27, 2003

They were staring at her, again.

" They're always staring." Maxie muttered as she sat down at the vacant table in the center of Kelley's. Ever since town gossip had leaked her pregnancy to everyone else, they had been staring at her. The gossiping old women and catty girl were always looking at her, whispering about her, and giving her that 'poor girl' smile, all the while thinking she was a tramp. 

" Hey Maxie." Lucky stopped by her chair, dropping his overnight bag, and spoke hesitantly, he didn't want to give her false hope to keep pursuing him, but he also couldn't just ignore her while the rest of the diner judged her. " How's it going?" 

She took off her coat, and shook out her hair, before granting him a blinding smile." Well, good news for you is that they're not mentioning you as the father anymore, apparently some new guy in town, got out of prison right before I got knocked up, and so all fingers are pointed to him."  " Other then that both my fathers are threatening to disown me if I don't tell them who the father is." 

Lucky nodded, and sat down across form her." Can I ask why you won't tell them?" 

" Because this is my problem, I was headed this way, before I even saw him, so there's no need to take him down with me." It was the most honest thing Maxie had said in months. She had started telling her family outrageous lies, every time they asked after the first four times she told nothing. She didn't want to bring Sly into this, she never should even bothered him in the first place, he had only been trying to help, and she had to drag him into her screwed up little cycle of self-abuse. He was close to being a doctor, and she knew he would be a really great one, juts as long as she stayed out of his life. " He's better off."

" Shouldn't he get to decide that?" 

" No I make the decisions." 

" What about his right to know?" 

" Look Lucky, I appreciate you being concerned about it and everything, but…." It was hard to explain, but somehow she just knew that Sly would understand. She couldn't imagine him not forgiving her." He would understand." 

" How do you know?" 

" It's just something you know, he would get what I'm doing." 

 Lucky his hand through his hair, and rolled his eyes. For all her act and posturing, he knew that Maxie didn't really understand how the guy would see this. It was like she had completely ignored the trouble Alexis and Carly went through, like she was immune to it." Okay fine, but remember what you felt like not to know you dad." " Happy Thanksgiving." 

Maxie watched him walk away, and shook the thoughts form her mind." He's wrong, I would have liked it more if I just never knew Frisco Jones." 

~~

" Happy Thanksgiving." Sly said as he opened the door to allow Emily in, he took the small suitcase form her hand, and shut the door." You're traveling light this year, what happen airport loose you other eight bags." 

The tall brunet turned and glared at him, and gave a very unladylike gesture with her hand." Bite Me, Eckert." She looks around the small apartment, and notices that it still pretty bare, expect for the furniture she brought him, and the couch he aunt forced on him." Nice décor, you trying to get a coffee table for Christmas." 

He threw up his hands in surrender." Please no, I promise I'll get a more stuff." 

"  That's all I'm saying." She walked over and gave him a hug." Now pack a bag, we're leaving." 

" What? Why?" 

" Because we'll be dining in Chicago, with an old friend of ours." Emily dropped own onto he couch, and then quickly stood, when she felt something in her back, she moved, and picked up a small pizza box, and threw it at her stunned ex." You could f cleaned up a bit for me, you know?"

" Why we're not sleeping together so what's the point?"  

" The point is you're an ass." She wiped the crumbs form his couch off her coat, and leveled an annoyed look at him." Hurry, the jet leaves in an hour." 

Sly gave a frustrated sigh, and opened his closet, taking out the small overnight bag, before walking over to his bedroom." I don't like it when you get all aggressive." 

" That's cause you've become a wimp, now chop chop, and don't bring that ugly shirt, we're might be seen." 

Twenty minutes later he was seated in an ELQ limo, on his way to a private airstrip." What's going on?" 

" My grandfather wants me to come home for thanksgiving, so he sent the jet, even thought I told him I couldn't, so I'm using to fly to Chicago, and hang out with people I know he'll hate." 

" You know I keep thinking what happened to the sweet little e girl, I first had a crush on, you know, what happened to little Emily Bowen?" 

" Emily Bowen lost her mind in the House of Quartermaine, it's not like you didn't change either, you use to be confident and a little conceited, now you're one step away from reading self-help books with titles like 'I like me'." Emily watched out the corner of her eye, he was getting worse, ever since his little one night stand, he's was becoming more and more withdrawn and shy. His once infrequent phone calls, were now coming twice a week. She just hoped she and Lucky could pull him out of this funk. " How's your little friend?" 

" I haven't heard from her." He plucked her in the shoulder." You gave bad advice." 

" NO." Emily punched him, in the forearm." I gave accurate advice for an insecure girl, you're just interested in a psycho, and for that I suggest you call up your cousin Carly, see what her kind likes." 

Sly rolled up his sleeve and turned toward her ready to fight." You know of course that I can't let you call one of my family members crazy, with out retribution don't you?" 

The car came to a stop, and Emily stuck her tongue at him, before she threw open the door, and took off toward the plane." Got catch me Eckert." 

~~

Three hours later 

Miles' Bistro, Chicago

Lucky sat at the table and began fidgeting with his tie, he hated wearing one, but Emily laid down the law, and there were just some instances where you didn't argue with her, the subject of Sly was one of them. He wasn't bitter about their closeness, as he had once been, he understood now, how when they thought he died, and their friendship had deepened. Now he was glad for it, he knew for sure that if not for Emily, he never would have seen this depression of Sly's coming on. 

" Hello handsome." 

He stood, and turned catching his friend in his arms." Quartermaine, you clean up nice." She stepped aside, and then pushed him toward the man standing behind her." Eckert, nice shirt, Em dress you?" 

Sly took his cousins hand and gave him a firm hand shake, and nodded sharing a similar grimace with the other man." She the reason, you wearing a tie?" 

" You know it." 

Emily sat down, and thanked the waited that pushed her chair in, before she snapped her fingers at both men." You know if it wasn't for me, you'd both still be in Port Charles, working on some damn worm farms, so you better just thank your lucky stars that the two of you have me." 

Lucky sat down, and gave her his best Spencer smile." You're right, we're eternally grateful for you presence in out life, right Sly?' 

" Yup." 

" As you should be." She looked at the table and noticed that Lucky's cloth napkin had been pulled and tugged, a sure sign that Lucky was worried about something. Nodding toward the napkin, she asked him." What's wrong?" 

" Nothing, I just ran into someone, I couldn't help." 

" Anyone we know?" Sly asked as he picked his water glass.

Lucky leaned forward, and nodded." Maxie Jones is pregnant." He heard a struggled gasp, and turned to see Sly hitting his chest." You okay?"

Emily caught the look in her exes' eye, and answered quickly." He's just shocked, I mean come on little Maxie Jones, it's just surprising, I didn't know she was married." 

" She's not, and isn't going to get married, no one in towns knows who the father, because she won't tell, I don't even think the guy knows." He looked down, not able to meet his friends eyes." I feel bad, like I was responsible, I mean if I had just told her in no certain terms that I wasn't interested maybe she wouldn't have tried to make me jealous." 

Sly put down the glass, as felt his jaw tightened, before he pushed his chair back, and stood." I need some air." 

Lucky watched him, go and turned to Emily for answers." What's with him?" 

" Nothing I can't handle, get us some appetizers, we'll be back okay." She didn't wait for his response; she just began following Sly's path. She caught him just as he reached the balcony doors. " Hey Eckert, where's the fire." 

" Emily, you heard, and you know." 

She nodded, and laid her head on his shoulder." Yeah, so Maxie Jones, is your mystery girl, and…" 

" Now she's pregnant, and did I mention in love with my cousin."  

"She young, she doesn't know what love is, it's a small crush." 

" Bull, you've been talking about Lucky's stalker for years, it was her, the mother of my child is my cousins stalker." 

" Sly…" Emily retort was drowned out by the ringing of his cell phone, she knew because she turned heir's off, to avoid the Q's." That's you." 

He pulled out the phone ands blanched at the caller id, before meeting Em's eyes." It's Maxie." 

" Then I'll just leave you tow alone." She gave him an encouraging smile, and headed back inside.

" Hello?" 

_" Sly, it's Maxie." _

" Hey Maxie, what's up?" 

_Sly look I need to tell you something, and I'm just going to say it, and then you can hang up okay?" _

" Okay." 

_" I'm pregnant, I found out three months ago, but I was afraid to tell you, and then I just thought you'd be better off, but someone told that you had a right to know, and you do, so I'm telling you." " Sly I'm pregnant with your child." " Sly?" _

" Yeah?"

_" You didn't hang up." _

" Nope, uh… I guess asking you to marry me, would sound stupid huh." 

" Yeah, I'm not marrying you just because we got carried away one night, but I appreciate the thought." " It's just one of those things I expected form you." 

" What else did you expect?" 

" Well, I'm guessing that you holding your tongue to keep form offering me money and child support, and you're probably thinking how you could transfer to be closer to Port Charles right?" 

Sly took the phone form his ear; it was almost like she was reading his mind, because that's exactly what he was doing. Trying to figure out how far it was from Columbia to Port Charles, and how to transfer money from his trust in Maxie's name." Well it is my child, what did you think I was going to do, just say 'thanks for the heads up, bye'. I'm not like that Maxie, and I think you know that. You told me I'm about to become a father, I want to be involved." 

" NO, that's why I didn't want to tell you, because you'd start wanting things. My fathers would kill you if they knew who you where, you probably be blowing everything you did at Stanford by transferring, and you'd just be know as the guy the got trapped by Bad Old Maxie Jones. " " This is for your own good, Sly, I'm doing what's best for you…" 

" What's best for me, or what's best for you and Lucky?" 

" Sly, listen to and really hear me. I don't want to hurt you or ruin what you've done with your life, and that's exactly what will happen if you keep trying to be involved, I'm promise that I'm not going to screw this kid up, okay?" " I'm not saying that I'm just not going to let you in, okay, I'll write and call, and send you pictures, but you shouldn't be in this."

" It's my kid. I am in this." 

" Sly please trust me on this, please."

She sounded panicked, like Emily did right before she ran away with that fool Zander. It was in that moment that he knew she would run; Maxie was one of the people that go to the ends of the earth to protect a decision they made. " Promise me something, promise me and I'll stay in California." 

_" What?" _

" That'll you call me every week and tell how things, that you'll call me when my child is born, that you will keep in touch with me, like you said you would, and that you won't let my child call anyone but me Dad." 

" I swear, to all of it, and you'll be the only father our son ever knows." 

Sly felt his heart flutter as the new information, a son; he was going to have a son. " Thank you, you'll call if you need anything?" 

" I promise, it's for the best Sly." " I call you later, Happy Thanksgiving." 

" Happy Thanksgiving." He heard the dial tone, and shut off his phone. He felt alive, like he had been given the great gift imaginable, like he should celebrate, but he couldn't because he also felt like he just lost everything that ever mattered to him.

*** Someone wrote me asking how Sly had money, (because I called him rich in the last chapter), and it's very simple and an odd little piece of GH history. Here we go, Sly's father Bill was a self made man, he was partners, with Brenda's father Harlan, the both of them made a large amount of money when they hooked up with Tracey to take over ELQ, which they did for a short while. In the end Bill was killed leaving his son, with several millions dollars, and some ELQ stock. That's the story at least according to my mother. 


	4. I don't think I'm ready for this

~@~@ I Don't Think I'm ready for this. (4/5)

I Disclaim

~~~

February 7, 2004             

"I shouldn't be here, should I?" Sly asked as he stared at the Welcome to Port Charles sign. He moved the phone from his ear, sure that the groan could be heard from miles away. "Yes or No will suffice?" 

_"Sly I want you to first know that I love you, and that I cherish your friendship, I don't know what I would do without it." "That said drive into the city you wimpy punk ASS little coward." _

"What do I say?" 

_"How bout I was in the area for a seminar, thought I'd drop by and say hi." _

"Lye?" 

_"Yes lye, Geez you grew up in Port Charles you don't know how to lye." "It's simple, open your mouth, and don't tell the truth." _

"This would so much easier if I had some SUPPORT?" 

_"I have work, exams, and a minor almost imaginary social life going on here, I can't just drop everything and fly home cause your baby's momma didn't 'sound right'?"  _

"Well she didn't, I think she's depressed." 

_"Sly, she's pregnant and living in Port Charles, of course she's depressed, if you want to help, I suggest you go see her, instead of sitting outside the city, like a moron." Emily dropped her pen, and tried to find the words that would encourage her self conscious friend into some action. "Okay here it is, you have to go and see her, because you're not Bill Eckert, and you can't allow the woman you love to feel pain, while you can stop it, and you can stop it by going to her." The silence on the other end was telling, if nothing else Sly would go to simply prove that he wasn't his father, it was low, but it was all she had. _

"Thanks Em." He wasn't his father, and he wouldn't let Maxie deal with this alone." I'll call you later."

_"You do that, but after you make this right." "Love you Sly." _

"Love you too." Sly turned off his phone and began pulling his car onto the main road into to town, and toward Maxie.

~~~

" You need anything?"  Mac asked hopefully, looking at his step daughter, he wanted her to open up and talk to him like she used to. Before Frisco showed up, and incited this rebellious nature, but she merely shook her head, and turned back to the television. He gave a sigh, and sank down onto the couch. "You know I'm here if you need anything right?" 

"Mac, stop it." Maxie gave him a pitying glance. "I don't want to talk about anything, not my feelings, not this pregnancy, not even the weather." 

"Maxie, I can't accept that."  Mac stood up, and looked around the apartment, it was slightly cleaner then it usually was, but only because Felicia  had  hired someone to clean, other then that it was the epitome of a college students apartment. It wasn't the apartment of a soon to be single mother and her live-in nanny slash sister, but it should be, except that Maxie was acting as if this wasn't really happening. "You're acting like nothing has changed." "You're due next month, and you're behaving as if nothings changed." 

"I'm adapting at my own rate." 

"You're adapting at no rate." Calm down, the little voice in his head, had been saying that since he found out, and yet he couldn't. Frisco and Felicia were acting as composed as Maxie, calming making plans, and treating her like she dropped her ice cream cone. Why was he the only one, that was furious about this, didn't they care that some little punk had seduced his baby girl, and ruined her life. "The next eighteen years of your life is going to be dictated by another human being, and you don't seem concerned." 

"Oh please that's not what this is about, you want to know who the father is, so you have someone to blame."  It had been building for months, the first question he had asked had been about the father, and when she refused to answered he had stopped. She had imagined that her mother had some how persuaded him to give he space and time, but she knew he was just bidding his time, waiting for a weak moment. "Here it Mac, the moment you've been waiting for, the person you blame is…ME." She moved to stand inches form his face, and watched as the shook of the reminder that she was involved in the situation. 

"MAXIE..." 

"No it is, I did this." 

"Maxie…" 

"Why are you even upset, it's not like YOU'RE my father."  She felt her heart slow, as he stepped back like he'd been slapped. It was a purely defensive move, Mac was too close, and she could feel herself confiding in him, just like she always did, but now there was more at stake. 

"You listen little girl, I've known you since forever, and I haven't missed anything, not a step not a cold, not anything." "No, I'm not your father, biologically, but that doesn't mean anything to me, and it hasn't meant anything to you for the longest time, but I guess things change huh?" 

"Mac…" 

"No, I think we should take a break for a bit."  Mac grabbed his jacket, from the couch, and walked to the door, before he turned back and grabbed her in a hug." I still love you, and I'm not going to let you push me away, but I am going to give you some room."  He kissed forehead, before dropping a kiss on her protruding bellying, and walking through the door leaving her to her thoughts.

She couldn't be here, he had just left and she could already hear the words he said echoing off the walls. She ran to the door, grabbing her keys as she slammed out of the apartment. 

~~~

"Hey Dad." Sly dropped down to he ground beside his father's grave, and looked across to his mothers." Mom." "I haven't been here in a long while, but I was doing something important and thought I should tell you guys what was going on." The only sound he heard was the wind rustling against the tree branches. "I put off coming here, because I didn't know what to say to you guys." "It's hard to talk about my childhood, without Emily or my psychiatrist near by to encourage me to keep talking. "" I feel like I should be over what happened after all it was so long ago, that it hardly seems important that I was alone for most of it. "He stood up and began pacing. " I don't mean to sound like I'm bitter or anything, If you hadn't been such wanders I had never come here, and meet my friends or gotten to be part of Aunt Jenny's family, so for that I thank you, but…" 

"I don't trust people, I had this great relationship with Emily, and I could have been happy, but I couldn't trust it or her, and that's because of you two." "I'm constantly feel like I need someone to validate me, because I always felt like I wasn't worthy of either of you. " " I'm about to become a father, and I can't even tell the mother of my child that I've fallen in love with her because I think once she knows she'll run, and I have this horrific fear, that I'll be just like you to my child. Cheating on Maxie and leaving my son alone to fend for himself, until he's questioning everything just like I am."  Tears began pooling in his eyes, and he wiped them away before turning back to the tombstones. "I'm not angry at you anymore; I just wanted to let you know what I had been feeling all these years and that right now I'm letting it all go." "I have to, because I need to be free of this, before I try to get my family." 

He removed the small envelope form his overcoat, and removed the two small pictures, before he placed them on the respective graves. "That your grandson, next time I come back hopefully I'll have a picture of the whole family." "I have to go now….. Maxie needs me." 

~~~

She turned the ignition again, and almost cried when the car didn't even mutter. Of course the car was dead, why wouldn't it wait til she was miles away from the main center of town to act up. "And of course you didn't bring your cell phone, because once again you were acting on instinct, and all your instincts lead to trouble." 

She steeped out of her car, and checked where she was, Carlson Road twenty minutes from the main highway, which meant that she was as least an hour's walk away from help. "But you can't walk because you're pregnant, so you're basically stuck great job Maxie, now I need a miracle." As if hearing her wording the dark night was suddenly glowing with lights, headlights. "Thank god." The car stopped right beside hers right before the door opened and driver got out." SLY." 

"Hi need some help?" Sly moved toward her car, but stopped just a few feet from her, simply amazed at how beautiful she looked.  He thought that the glow they said pregnant women had was a myth; he certainly hadn't thought his Aunt Jenny had glowed; she spent the majority of time crying or yelling. Maxie however looked radiant, her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes glowed. "Car stopped working?" 

"Sly what are you doing here?"  She stared at him, like he was a mirage, she had wanted to see him, she just hadn't said it out loud.

"Ah… I was in the area for ah…" He put in hand in his front pocket and gave a shy smile. "Truth is I came because I thought you sounded upset and I wanted to see if you needed me." 

She should have been upset, she had specially told him, not to do this, but she couldn't seem to sum up any anger, which is probably how she ended up in his arms hugging him. "Thank you for coming, I did need you." Sly didn't question her, or look at her with embarrassment or shame; he just smiled and gave her everything she needed.

" Anytime." Sly slid his hands done her back, and noticed her shiver, realizing that she hadn't taken her coat, he stepped back and offered her his overcoat placing it around her shoulders. "What are you doing out here?" 

She snuggled into the coat and looked down at her feet afraid to meet his eyes. "I just needed some time, everything has just been getting so…." 

"Real." 

"Yeah, I know logically that I'm pregnant and that this is happening, and I want this baby Sly, you know that but I… I'm so confused." "One minute I'll be really excited, then the next I'm terrified, and Mac doesn't think I'm prepared, Mom and Frisco seem so sure that I won't repeat their mistakes, I don't think I'm ready for this, but I can't back out now." 

 "Maxie I understand." He laid and a hand on her shoulder only to have it thrown off and as she turned on him anger eliminating her blue eyes.

"No you don't you had two parents, your life was normal until they died." 

"Are you insane, do you remember my parents?"  Sly gave a bitter laugh. " My father spent the bulk of his time traveling the globe, while the mother sleep with every guy in between, until they divorced, then they dumped on my grandparents and other relatives until they were both murdered, then I was shipped off to boarding school, while my aunt build her family." "I have no concept of normal, only what I read in my textbooks." "I'm so screwed up this that this relationship is not only my most normal, it's my most promising." 

Maxie's' eye widened as the startling revelation, she had suspected that the friend he keep mentioning was some sort of ex, the information worried her. If Sly's idea of a normal relationship was a pregnant one night stand that refused to see him, then her son was in trouble. Between her parents and his, they were definitely too dysfunctional to procreate. "Oh that's just great, we both psychos." She fell back against her car, a feeling a dread was building in her heart, she could feel the failure coming on her. It almost overwhelmed her, until the second pain began, a sharper more pronounced pain, one that caused her to pale.

"Maxie...?" Sly stepped closer and offered her his hand, which she promptly squeezed hard enough to break a bone." MAXIE, STOP." He ripper his hand away and stared at her in shock, she was taking shallows breathes, and she was clutching her stomach, as she grimaces in pain. "Maxie, what is it?" 

"I think we should get to a hospital." She felt the water running down her leg, and nodded her head vigorously." Yeah, cause that was my water breaking."

Sly only paused a minute trying to think clearly, they were Forty minutes from General Hospital, but Mercy was probably only ten minutes if he broke the speed laws, which telling by Maxie's expression was a very good idea.  "Come on." He took her hand and led her to his rental, seconds later they were speeding toward Mercy Hospital.

 ~~~

Eight hours later

Sly leaned against the door of the roof, trying to catch his breath that had been to close. One minute later and he would have to explain to Frisco and Mac why he had been in Maxie's room. As the fear of discovery began to die down, he started to smile, it was official. "I'm a Dad."   

The thought wasn't as terrifying as he thought; it seemed really simply, when he thought about it. Jackson was his son, all he had to do was love and care for him, he could do that.  After all he loved Emily and Lucky, and the second he saw his son, he felt his heart swell. Besides it was Emily said he wasn't his father. Thinking of his best friend he pulled out his cell phone and hit the speed dial, giving a small smile when he heard her grumble a hello.  "Hey Em." 

_"God Dammit Sylvester do you ever look at a clock." _

"I'm a father." 

_"I know you dork, I was there when you found out." _

"No I mean I'm really a father, Jackson William Jones was born on February 8, 2004 at 1:24 am weighing 7lbs, 8 ounces." 

_Emily jumped up in her bed and checked her clock. "JERK, that was three hours ago, I should have been informed immediately." Sly had a son, which meant that she was a….well she still just his friend, but now he was father, and that was what important." You must be so excited, congratulation Dad, how's Maxie?" _

The smile disappeared quickly; the one black spot on the entire evening was what happened with Maxie. "I screwed up, and now she hates me." 

_" SLY, you've haven't even been back twenty-four hours, your son was just born, how in God's name could you have screwed up so baldy, so quickly, what could you have done, that would make someone on pain medication hate you?" _

"I told her, I loved her." 

_"That'll do it." _

~~~

Well he's here Jackson William Jones, has been born, and that leaves one more part to 'The Wrong Blonde' Series. Once that's done I'll finish up Complicated. By April I'll be starting some new fics, including one starring my favorite character Emily, as while as a new Kay fic for Passions and a Shloe fic for Days.   
 


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